Nanaimo news

• James Stewart Ainsley (Jim)

  07-11-2026 06:02 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  In Loving Memory ~
  Aug 31, 1946 ~ Oct 23, 2026
  It is with breaking hearts we announce the passing of Jim Ainsley. He leaves behind his wife, and Life Partner Marilyn Strongitharm, Ainsley, daughter Sarah, brother Brien (Jane), sister Wendy Cooper, (Craig) and sister Terry McDougall, along with many nieces and nephews.
  He began his life in Calgary first born to Marjorie and Ralph, a bit of a wild youth, He broke his arm riding a bull, but also played guitar. Early on he moved to BC and attended S
  
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• Cheers: Federal Budget 2026 vows to continue supporting Okanagan wine industry

  13-11-2026 21:44 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Wine growers are raising a glass to the Canadian Federal Government following MP Stephen Fuhr’s announcement in Kelowna on Friday, Nov. 13, that promises to renew the Wine Sector Support Program for another three years.
  ​Budget 2026 proposes $176.9 million for the program starting in 2027-2028 that will provide financial support to help licensed Canadian wineries adapt to ongoing and emerging challenges faced in the industry.
  ​Fuhr made the announcement at Sandhill Winery in downtown Kelow
  
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• Former CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko steps down, leaves partisan politics

  13-11-2026 21:36 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Former Surrey MLA Elenore Sturko has announced she’s leaving partisan politics and will no longer be leader of the CentreBC party.Sturko ran in the Surrey South riding in the Oct. 24 provincial election, a seat won by former White Rock mayor and Conservative candidate Megan Knight.Sturko was elected to the Surrey South riding in a 2022 byelection when former MLA Stephanie Cadieux left electoral politics to become Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. She crossed the floor from the BC U
  
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• Former CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko steps down, leave partisan politics

  13-11-2026 21:36 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Former Surrey MLA Elenore Sturko has announced she’s leaving partisan politics and will no longer be leader of the CentreBC party.Sturko ran in the Surrey South riding in the Oct. 24 provincial election, a seat won by former White Rock mayor and Conservative candidate Megan Knight.Sturko was elected to the Surrey South riding in a 2022 byelection when former MLA Stephanie Cadieux left electoral politics to become Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. She crossed the floor from the BC U
  
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• B.C. track star Matti Erickson signs pro contract with Nike

  13-11-2026 21:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Now that his college career is over, Matti Erickson’s race is only just starting.
  The Nelson, B.C., track star has signed a pro contract with Nike Swoosh TC, which is the sportswear giant’s distance running team. The deal will see Erickson compete for Nike through 2028.
  Erickson graduated from the University of Oregon this year and considered becoming a math teacher, but ultimately decided that, at 23 years old, he still has plenty of track ahead of him.
  “I thought I’m just too far along
  
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• Highways, properties, key infrastructure at risk after Pear Lake fire: report

  13-11-2026 20:58 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  A preliminary assessment of the post-wildfire hazards of the Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton this past summer show that homes, highways, and infrastructure such as the CN rail line and a BC Hydro substation are at elevated risk from flooding, debris flows, and landslides in the fire’s aftermath.
  The Pear Lake wildfire was reported on July 17, and was not declared under control until Sept. 14. It burned a total area of 165,909 hectares (1,659 square kilometres), forced the evacuation of thousan
  
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• B.C. police help in crackdown of international cybercrime network

  13-11-2026 20:55 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Police in Vancouver, along with the help of international partners, cracked down on a Russia-based cybercrime network.
  The RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region cybercrime investigation team in Vancouver is the lead Canadian police agency in the international joint forces operation targeting initial access malware. It was dubbed Operation Endgame, according to a news release from RCMP Friday (Nov. 13). The Vancouver team contributed coders, analysts and investigators.
  Police say the Russia-based
  
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• Victoria named among North America’s top 10 fairytale cities

  13-11-2026 20:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Victoria has been recognized as one of North America’s top 10 fairytale cities, thanks to its British-inspired architecture, historic landmarks and waterfront scenery.
  Travel Off Path released its list of 10 Fairytale Cities in North America on Oct. 31, placing Victoria seventh among destinations in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The list highlights cities offering European-style experiences without the need for a transatlantic flight.
  Victoria was compared to London and described as a
  
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• Registration open for 99th Mid-Island Performing Arts Festival

  13-11-2026 20:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A Nanaimo arts festival is accepting entries for next year.Registration is now open for the 99th Mid-Island Performing Arts Festival, which is set to take place from March to May 2027.Andrea Bertram, festival president, says that the festival fosters an appreciation of the performing arts within the community.
  “It’s all about complementing and enhancing the student’s ability to find a piece to play on; they have opportunities for workshops, masterclasses,” she explained.The festival has
  
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• Multitasking motorist fined for laptop use while driving

  13-11-2026 19:56 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Many people are still working remotely, but BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) is reminding drivers that vehicles are not offices, and using your laptop while operating a vehicle could land you with a steep fine.
  A 52-year-old West Kelowna woman found that out the hard way, and is now facing a $368 fine for allegedly driving while using her laptop during a recent BCHP distracted driving operation in Vernon.
  The stop occurred on Nov. 5, just after 4:30 p.m., when a BC Highway Patrol officer observed a blue
  
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• B.C. activists rally in Surrey to protest Build Canada Strong Act

  13-11-2026 19:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Activists rallied outside Surrey-Newton MP Sukh Dhaliwal’s office on Nov. 12 to demand he reject the Build Canada Strong Act (Bill C-39) as the final-reading vote nears.
  The protest was part of a National Day of Action coordinated by the climate justice movement 350Canada and local groups against the enactment of Bill C-39 proposed by the Liberal government. Sixty-five rallies to pressure the MPs were carried out across the country on Nov. 12, according to 350Canada.Constituents across Canada
  
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• 2 dead, 1 missing after boating incident in Squamish area following flooding

  13-11-2026 18:27 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Two people are dead and one person is missing after a boating incident in the Squamish Valley Thursday (Nov. 12).
  Squamish RCMP responded to the boat incident that involved multiple people around 1:52 p.m. on Thursday. Two people have since been confirmed dead and another is unaccounted for.
  Police say all other people have been accounted for.
  RCMP said that due to water levels and challenging weather conditions, search and rescue and recovery efforts were “extremely difficult and unsafe” fo
  
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• RCMP asking for witnesses following incident in North Cowichan on Nov. 10

  13-11-2026 17:56 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  RCMP are looking for witnesses to come forward following a call they attended in the Marchmont Road area on Nov. 10.
  At about 2:30 a.m. North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP were dispatched to a suspicious circumstances call at a home on Marchmont Road in North Cowichan.
  When they got there they found evidence of a disturbance. The RCMP Forensic Identification Section processed the scene.
  RCMP did not provide any details about the scene or what they suspect may have happened.
  “Details publicly available
  
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• Victoria’s Vauhkonen earns Team CHL nod after red-hot start to sophomore season

  13-11-2026 17:47 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Odin Vauhkonen spent the summer wearing Team USA colours. In December, he’ll be lining up against them.
  The Victoria Royals defenceman was named to Team CHL on Thursday (Nov. 12) ahead of the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
  The 18-year-old from Costa Mesa, California, is one of 22 players selected for the two-game series against the U.S. National Under-18 Team on Dec. 1 and 2 in Quebec. He will be joined by Langford native Brock Cripps of the Prince Albert Raiders.
  The roster spot rewards a
  
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• PHOTOS: UVic outlasts McGill in extra-time thriller at Centennial Stadium

  13-11-2026 17:44 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  McGill goalkeeper Ludovyck Ciociola built a wall for 104 minutes at Centennial Stadium. A loose ball in the penalty box in extra-time finally brought it down.
  Mount Douglas Secondary School alumnus Rees Goertzen scored the lone goal in extra time to give the University of Victoria Vikes a 1-0 victory over the McGill Redbirds on Thursday (Nov. 12). The late winner sends the hosts into the U Sports men’s soccer championship semifinal.
  The marker capped a night of mounting pressure for UVic. The
  
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• Nanaimo RCMP put out second call for help finding suspect in car dealer B&E

  13-11-2026 17:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Nanaimo RCMP is once again asking for the public’s assistance in locating a man wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant for a break-and-enter.
  This is the second public appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of Dereck Paul, 58.
  Despite ongoing efforts by investigators, he has not yet been located.
  The charge stems from an incident that occurred in Nanaimo in July 2025, where it is alleged Paul broke into a Nanaimo car dealership on Kenworth Road.
  He is described as Indigenous, standi
  
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• Vancouver Island resident bilked out of $14K in cryptocurrency scam

  13-11-2026 15:00 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Parksville Qualicum Beach residents continue to be the target of scammers.
  A resident reported being scammed out of $14,000, responding to a social media advertisement to invest in cryptocurrency on Oct. 8. On Sept. 28, a resident reported being scammed out $1,000, responding to a social media message asking for banking information to e-transfer money for an item being sold. The next day, another resident reported losing $1,845, responding to an unsolicited phone call and allowing remote access
  
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• Vancouver Island

  13-11-2026 14:50 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  High tides and more water than normal could mean flooding in Greater Victoria while the the east and interior of the Island continues to contend with heavier than usual rainfall.Peak water levels are expected 10 a.m. to noon as the Capital Region and Saanich Peninsula are under warning of potential coastal flooding due to storm surge. Water levels will likely exceed highest astronomical tide, according to Environment and Climate change Canada.A series ofPacific low-pressure systems moves across
  
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• Flooding concerns peak with midday high tides across Greater Victoria

  13-11-2026 14:50 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  High tides and more water than normal could mean flooding in Greater Victoria while the the east and interior of the Island continues to contend with heavier than usual rainfall.Peak water levels are expected 10 a.m. to noon as the Capital Region and Saanich Peninsula are under warning of potential coastal flooding due to storm surge. Water levels will likely exceed highest astronomical tide, according to Environment and Climate change Canada.A series ofPacific low-pressure systems moves across
  
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• Olympic gold medalist Brad Gushue bringing memoir tour to Victoria

  13-11-2026 14:10 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue had no interest in writing a memoir for almost his entire curling career. Now, with his playing days behind him, the six-time Brier champion is bringing his story to Victoria.
  Gushue recently released Gushue: The Making of a Champion, and will visit Bolen Books in Hillside Centre on Nov. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
  The book launch marks a quick return to the city for the curling legend, who recently worked as a colour analyst at the Grand Slam of Curling Invitationa
  
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• Operation Shoebox, collecting help items for unhoused in Nanaimo, set to begin

  13-11-2026 13:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Operation Shoebox is gearing up for another season in Nanaimo.
  The Nanaimo chapter of the Shoebox Project will run the holiday drive from Nov. 16 to Dec. 7 this year, and organizers are looking to the community to assist in helping people who are impacted by homelessness.
  Volunteers running the Nanaimo Shoebox Project organize the collection of shoeboxes filled with high-quality essential items and fun gifts mainly for woman in need in the community.
  Laura Kelsey, local coordinator of the Nanaim
  
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• Doerkson says he wants most of B.C.’s government workers back in the office

  12-11-2026 23:21 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson says he wants B.C. public service workers to return to the office — though he is open to some exceptions for rural workers.
  “I’m committed to having people come back to the office,” he said.
  Working from home has expanded drastically since the COVID-19 pandemic, including among B.C. government employees, many of whom work via “telework” agreements.
  Some employees are even hired with this in mind, with some teams consisting of workers scattered through
  
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• Kelowna sex assault re-trial closes, decision still to come

  12-11-2026 23:14 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault trial and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society at (250) 763-4613 or the RCMP.The defence lawyer for a Kelowna man who faces sexual assault charges from an incident in 2021 argued the Crown has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
  Brandon Hildebrand Acosta appeared on Nov. 10 before Justice Richard Hewson
  
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• Veteran overcomes PTSD for great uncles at Vernon Remembrance Day

  12-11-2026 23:09 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Hundreds of people gathered in Cenotaph Park seemed daunting.
  So many bodies, so many faces, so many potential outcomes.
  It’s a struggle Doreen Lambert faces each Remembrance Day as a Royal Canadian Air Force veteran suffering from PTSD.
  Staying put at home has been the usual course of action, but the last couple years, she has been able to overcome her trepidation and turn out for the day she once stood guard on. But, more importantly, for her great uncles, whose names are etched on the monum
  
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• ‘Bring Jesus home’: B.C. Catholic school seeks $100K after sculpture stolen

  12-11-2026 21:50 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  A life-size copper sculpture depicting Jesus at the Last Supper was stolen from a Surrey independent school on Remembrance Day, prompting a school community fundraising campaign to replace the artwork.The sculpture, which was donated by Dr. Joseph King, chair of the society board at Saint John Paul II Academy, was taken from the school’s courtyard on Nov. 11.In an interview, King described this incident as unexpected and upsetting, noting the artwork had become an important part of the school�
  
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• Sunfest announces headliners including Nanaimo-born star

  12-11-2026 21:43 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Just in time for the holidays, you can put a little Sunfest in your favourite country fan’s stocking as the country music festival celebrates its 25th year, and 10th at Laketown Ranch from July 29 to Aug. 1, 2027 with some local talent taking centre stage next year.On July 30, it will be fans of the genre’s ‘Kind of Night’ with headliner Luke Bryan taking the stage. Bryan, who has established himself as one of the defining figures in contemporary country music with a career built on char
  
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• ‘Pineapple Express’ leads to warmest Remembrance Day in Nanaimo on record

  12-11-2026 21:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Atmospheric river remnants led to a record high temperature in the Nanaimo area on Remembrance Day.
  According to Environment Canada, Nanaimo broke a daily record for Nov. 11, when the mercury hit 18.1 C, surpassing the previous high of 16.2 C set in 1991. Morgen Shull, Environment Canada operational meteorologist, told the News Bulletin the phenomenon experienced, which includes rains and warm air, has been referred to as a “Pineapple Express.”
  “I did actually look into where the tail end
  
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• Multiple-vehicle incident impacts traffic near Parksville

  12-11-2026 19:57 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle crash on southbound Highway 19 near Parksville at approximately 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning, Nov. 12.According to Oceanside RCMP news release, a southbound vehicle lost control on the Englishman River bridge causing several vehicles travelling behind to crash.Approximately eight vehicles were involved.One person was transported to hospital by air ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.Traffic on the highway was heavily impacted while the air amb
  
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• ‘Trust the process’: Saanich volleyball standout chasing Olympic dream from Italy

  12-11-2026 19:30 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  Payton Henderson never imagined her volleyball journey would take her from a high school gym in Saanich to the professional courts of Italy.
  Now, the 2021 graduate of Claremont Secondary School is playing overseas while pursuing an Olympic dream with Team Canada.
  Henderson was one of three Greater Victoria athletes receiving a $10,000 grant through Petro-Canada’s Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence (FACE) program, providing financial support as she continues to develop her game and chase
  
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• Severely matted dog and 14 cats surrendered from Vancouver Island property

  12-11-2026 19:24 via Nanaimo News Bulletin
  
  The BC SPCA has taken on one dog and 14 cats from a Vancouver Island property following an investigation.
  The animal welfare organization did not specify where the property is located, but said they responded to an Oct. 2 complaint about a large number of cats and a severely matted dog.
  Following an investigation and conversations with the owner, one Havanese dog and 14 cats were surrendered.
  “The owner was clearly overwhelmed and needed our help,” said Kaley Pugh, regional manager, animal p
  
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